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Unless I'm miscounting, only 5 guys were nominees this year and last (Pedroia, A.Rios, Kipnis, Cuddyer, McCutchen), though there are other non-first time nominees.
Biggio won it twice in a row and Eckstein was on the ballot many times after winning it, but the last two winner have not made their way back onto a ballot.
Pujols gives the Angels another former winner of this thing on their roster.

@3 - Actually, I did think that this a list like this could be useful in a study of the importance of reputation/grit/intangibles/whatever on winning.

@3 - Actually, I did think that this a list like this could be useful in a study of the importance of reputation/grit/intangibles/whatever on winning.

I don't think so - just looking quickly, it seems like a number of these guys are involved with foundations and charity work and the like and were nominated for the "values" part of the award for that reason (explains the current Cubs nominee Rizzo, for example), which isn't exactly "grit" (though it may be "intangibles"? I'm not sure).

Two of those guys I have no memory of ever being on the Reds. One of them is Chris Heisey, who I thought was a backup catcher but turns out to be an outfielder. Is he scrappy? One is Adam Dunn, the least scrappy white guy since Dave Kingman. Miguel Cairo, Ryan Freel and Jonny Gomes are certainly scrappy, and it's hard to argue with Choo getting some sort of award.

Reed Johnson was designed expressly for a "Heart and Hustle" Award. I love the guy, but that's essentially the sum total of what he brings to a baseball team. Well, unless you count HBP. But you can argue that should fall under the heart and hustle umbrella.

I suppose it brings up the question of what is "scrappy" pitching? Getting out of jams seems to be when most pitchers are described that way...which is a fine line. You can't be too good, otherwise you don't make enough jams for yourself. I guess it could easily apply to relievers. Always scrappily getting out of trouble they didn't start.

There's also the Brad Radke circa 2006 route. That was some Heart and Hustle pitching if I've ever seen it.

I think the scrappy pitcher would be the guy who gets results without strikeouts. But those are almost extinct nowadays.

In terms of fielders, the scrappy guy is the guy who hustles and runs everywhere and is really intense and gives 110%. This makes him seem like an everyman. But the pitcher who is really intense and gives 110% is the guy who tries to intimidate and overpower hitters. Which is not everyman-ish at all. The pitching everyman is usually someone who looks like an unathletic slob, Curt Leskanic or Rod Beck or the ulktimate example, David Wells. But even though he hustles just as much as other pitchers, which is to say not at all, you can't seriously think that the fat slob David Wells is someone who sets himself apart by hustling. So for pitchers, hustling and being scrappy are not correlated.

For the last decade I would give the "scrappy pitcher" award from the Phillies to Tyler Cloyd. And the "hustling pitcher" award to Ryan Madson. That guy is really intense.

A scrappy pitcher needs to hit a lot of batters, get pissed when guys run across his mound, enforce all the other unwritten rules, beg the manager not to take him out and punch stuff (without getting hurt) when he sucks. Add in his hitting and Carlos Zambrano comes close!

Just thinking of Dontrelle Willis being on that list...hitting might help out a pitcher in the "scrappy" department. I know many Jays fans still remember Todd Stottlemyre cutting up his face on the basepaths in the World Series with some fondness.

And if HAH was up to a fan vote, Kawasaki would win in a landslide in Toronto this year.